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actually the case of kings on a1 and c2 pawn on a2 is a success for showdown chess because it makes a win for black instead of a draw, which would happen in normal chess after white plays Kc1 (this is a replacement for normal chess not shatranj). Black must of played the brilliant (he he) ... a3-a2!! thus winning the game. You are just looking at the 'normal' rules if you are disappointed at 'having' to move your king away, you should not of got yourself in that position. Of course, i don't like these attempts to make chess with less draws, i am in favor of giving (as far as tournaments go) either no points for draws, same as losing, or 2 points for wins, half for draws, but best would be to come up with a different chess altogether ha ha, but not those variants with rook/knight and bishop/knight combo's. Terrible pieces :) we should go back to good old 4 handed chaturanga :) anyway, showdown chess is at least an attempt to somehow address the major promblem of the terrible state of draws in modern chess, i don't think it deserves a 'poor' rating so i will throw in a 'good'.
Last time I checked the Canadian rulebook, the endgame K+N against K+B was considered to allow the possibility of checkmate for either side (after some truly bad play). Thus either player can forfeit the game after exceeding the time limit. On the other hand, I believe the USCF rulebook has an actual list of 'silly' drawn endgames. Showdown Chess REQUIRES the two players to continue this endgame until there is a decisive result. Adrian King's Scirocco ALLOWS one player to continue this endgame.
Consider the position: WHITE K(c2) BLACK K(a1) and P(a2). Now White can score a stalemate victory in Shatranj and some other games by simply moving the King to c1. I am not happy with any rule which forces White to move away and lose the game. Showdown Chess is not a game I would want to play.
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